Referendum sought to accept loan for city-wide water system project

A referendum is forthcoming to decide whether the city will be able to accept a $3.5 million loan from the Drinking Water State Revolving Loan Fund for water system upgrades and maintenance.

By Maddy LauriaMaddy.lauria@doverpost.com@Milford_Maddy

A referendum is forthcoming to decide whether the city will be able to accept a $3.5 million loan from the Drinking Water State Revolving Loan Fund for water system upgrades and maintenance.

City Council motioned to move forward with the process of a referendum to accept the loan, which would be repaid at a 1.5-percent interest rate over a 20-year-lending period.

Accepting this loan requires going to referendum as Milford residents’ water bills would increase by about $1.18 per month per household, an increase of just over $14 per year.

The loan will allow the city to check 2,500 valves within the city’s 82 miles of water main for their ability to properly function, replace those in need and monitor all wells with Systems Control and Data Collection upgrades. There is also money in this proposed budget to allow the city to investigate additional water sources.

Before a vote is presented to the public, city government must adopt a resolution for the bond and provide notice of a public hearing, but residents should expect to see this issue presented publicly in the near future.

IMPROVING LOCAL PARKS

The Parks and Recreation Department requested a transfer of funds realized by the Masten Park land sale in the amount of $18,800 to offset costs of two park projects.

Milford’s Parks and Rec plans to install a bocce ball court in Bicentennial Park, near the Mispillion River, which will feature synthetic turf.

Director of Parks and Recreation Gary Emory said he hopes the new bocce ball court will be heavily utilized by the Milford Senior Center, and hopes it will be ready by this spring.

Emory said he hopes to install two courts, but with the lowest bid, from Road Site Construction, Inc. of Lewes, coming in at $33,809, only one court will be constructed for now.

Emory said little maintenance will be needed for the court, and boards will be removable so that the area is still festival-friendly.

“When we have a festival, we’ll actually be able to take out the boards that are the borders and put a stage in there if we wanted to,” Emory said. “We won’t have to work around the bocce ball courts; we’ve incorporated that into the site design.”

Milford Parks and Recreation is also planning to refurbish the Banneker basketball court, which has not been updated for 35 years. The court will be completely resurfaced and all necessary repairs will be made to update it for public use.

“It’s going to be a brand-new court, almost revisited 100 percent,” Emory said. “We’re mandated and obligated to take care of that park. It’s been 35 years since we upgraded it, and I made a pledge … that we’d refurbish that park and this is the year to do it. It’s happening as we speak. That court will be state-of-the-art and it will be good for another 35 years for the youth [of the area]. ”

IN OTHER BUSINESS

City Council approved a resolution concerning Halloween festivities, scheduling the Annual Community Parade from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Oct. 16. Oct. 31 will be the official date for trick-or-treating for children ages 12 and younger, between the hours of 6 and 8 p.m.

Fall clean-up week is scheduled for Sept. 30 through Oct. 4 to provide Milford residents with an extra pick-up day for debris and bulk items. For more information, call 422-6616.